The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to nuclear medicine (NM) imaging systems, and more particularly to methods and systems for biopsy guidance in breast imaging with NM imaging systems, in particular Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI).
Mammography imaging is commonly used for the detection of breast cancer. Specifically, mammography imaging is used to detect lesions within the breast. Typically, the lesion is detected using three-dimensional imaging techniques. As such, a location and depth of the lesion can be determined from the image. The depth of the lesion aids, for example, in guiding a biopsy needle during extraction of a lesion sample for pathology.
However, some women cannot be effectively tested because of dense breasts and/or implants. Accordingly, these women may be tested using nuclear single photon imaging. Such imaging only provides two-dimensional images of the lesion having no depth information. When the depth of the lesion is unknown, guiding a biopsy needle is difficult and the chance of missing the lesion with the needle is increased, which is often high. As a result, a large number of samples may have to be taken, thereby causing pain and discomfort to the patient.